In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Woodley explained that the decision to remove her character from the upcoming sequel was due to long-term planning for future Spider-Man movie plots.

She said: "Of course I'm bummed. But I am a firm believer in everything happening for a specific reason... Based on the proposed plot, I completely understand the need for holding off on introducing [Mary Jane] until the next film."

Director Marc Webb explained in a statement: "I made a creative decision to streamline the story and focus on Peter and [Emma Stone's] Gwen [Stacy] and their relationship.

"Shailene is an incredibly talented actress and while we only shot a few scenes with Mary Jane, we all love working with her."

Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in 'The Amazing Spider-Man'

Release dates were recently announced for the third and fourth movies in the latest Spider-Man franchise, with new installments set to open in 2016 and 2018.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will arrive in cinemas on May 2, 2014.

The 21-year-old Woodley will next be seen in the dystopian drama Divergent.

Photo gallery - Amazing Spider-Man 2:

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Andrew Garfield reprises his role as Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
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